Home News Absence of NDDC Counsel stalls hearing of suit against use of Sole Administrator

Absence of NDDC Counsel stalls hearing of suit against use of Sole Administrator

by Business News Report

Absence of counsel of Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), Tuesday stalled hearing of a suit seeking to stop the Sole Administrator from presiding over the commission as well as stop its placement under any ministry. Niger Delta groups identified as the Wailing Women of the Niger Delta represented by its Coordinator Odighonin Nwadighi Adienbo, the Integrity Friends for Truth and Peace Initiative (TIFPI) led by Livingstone Wechie and nine others had filed a suit at a Federal High Court sitting in Yenagoa presided over by Justice Isa Dashen against the Federal Government and the Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice opposing the use of sole administration to run the NDDC.

The plaintiffs contend that the concept of sole administrator was alien and contrary to the NDDC Act which provides for a board constituted of representatives of all states of the Niger Delta. The Attorney-General of the Federation and NDDC are listed as first and second defendants in the suit marked FHC/YNG/CS/135/2021. When the case was mentioned, Samuel Brisibe, told the court that he was mandated by Counsel to NDDC in the suit, Ume Kalu (SAN) to inform the court of his absence following cancellation of his flight. He further appealed to the court to adjourn the case to enable Kalu to personally argue the case as he was not abreast with developments and was merely drafted to inform the court of the reasons behind Kalu’s absence in court. However counsel to the plaintiffs, Goodness Onuoha, frowned at the reason advanced by Brisibe stressing that the counsel ought to have arrived Yenagoa on Monday ahead of Tuesday’s hearing date.

Onuoha urged the court to prevail on the defence to refrain from delaying the dispensation of justice. Dashen adjourned the suit to June 28 for continuation of hearing. Dashen had on April 5 granted an interim order restraining the Federal Government from using sole administrator to run the NDDC pending the determination of the pending suit. The Niger Delta groups had challenged the legality of the appointment of a Sole Administrator/Interim Management Committee for the NDDC which they claim is in defiance to the NDDC Act asking the Court to invalidate same. The groups in the Exparte motion filed before the Court are seeking an order that the Attorney-General of the Federation representing the Federal Government not place the NDDC under any ministry and an order of perpetual injunction restraining the Federal Government from constituting an Interim/Sole Administrator Board to run the affairs of the NDDC.

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